Amicitia Marred
Bella Of The Ball
Grilled got past Geylang-based Amicitia Maritimo United straightforwardly enough, as 22 year-old Italian reserve striker
Pompeo Bellamoli introduced himself to the Singapore scene proper with his first professional hat-trick. Amicitia, who had been unbeaten for nineteen straight matches before going down 0-3 to AdidasFC on Sunday, pulled two back through Hungarian hotshot Elemér Mészáros, but by then it was already the end of the line.
Making good on his promise not to be take the Division Three opponents lightly,
Niculae Stanca gave the go-ahead for what was nigh a first team, with the exception of Bellamoli for
Tian Yonghang, who was benched due to being on two yellows. Next to Tian was newcomer
Remco van der Ban, who wound up as an unused substitute.
This turned out to be a terrific decision on the part of Stanca, as the hungry Bellamoli came out at full hilt. Barely three minutes had passed when he slalomed through to put in the opener, as the Amicitia defence struggled to deal with his combination of trickery and legs. Bellamoli came close to embarassing Tabrani Taqiuddin completely with a rabona, but couldn't keep his finish down then.
The tireless Number 22 was not deterred, and got his just reward in the 18th minute, with
Mohd Safri bin Mohd Kassim playing a decisive through ball that split the home defence. Next,
Low Aik Jia carried over his league scoring form as he rounded the otherwise effective Mark Rozenfeld out wide, before slashing it past Ákos Rutkai in goal.
The fans at Hotspurs Stadium could only watch that in silence, only to be given new voice when Mészáros grabbed one from nowhere.
Rashid bin Ahmad's backwards header to
Wong Tian Han appeared routine and safe enough, but Mészáros somehow got in the way, and deflected it off his shoulderblades and over Wong. Whether it was a happy accident or sheer genius, none could tell.
It was not like Grilled were suddenly in trouble, though, and they continued to threaten Amicitia's goal,
Ling Fuquan rocking the frame with his powerful blast from afar. In a rare tactical move, Croatian head coach Davor Bukulin made a end-of-half sub of Chew Wai An for Teo Lai Jing, to eat away the seconds as Grilled got a free-kick on the half-way line.
This was followed by two more after the break, as Alex Gurgone and Johnny Visconti were sent on and tasked with finding a way back. Gurgone, who received the captain's armband, immediately began reorganising his colleagues, but to little avail as the Birds continued where they left off.
Chow Ying Lee was unfortunate not to score in the 62nd minute when he managed a technically complex overhead volley, but Rutkai got enough distance on his leap to deny that one. There was no stopping Bellamoli, however, as he stole between Amicitia's defenders to complete his hat-trick. The merry-making lasted quite a while, as Bellamoli got carried by a succession of teammates.
Ling Fuquan smashed a fifth in after the game finally resumed, which Mészáros soon cancelled out in a strike made possible by Freddi Vahher's vision and his own great first touch, and also Low's carelessness in taking a free-kick following Visconti's foul in midfield. That didn't change the big picture, of course, and Ling had the luxury of retiring early for
Gleb Dorogan.
